Integrity of benthic assemblages along the arctic estuarine-coastal system

Abstract

This study was carried out in the Yenisei estuary and in the adjacent part of the Kara Sea shelf. We analyzed and compared the distribution patterns of the different benthic taxa and size classes (micro-, meio-, macro- and megabenthos) along a pronounced gradient of environmental factors. Four ecological zones were distinguished based on certain environmental parameters, from the upper riverine area to the mouth of the estuary and the Kara Sea slope, which had normal marine conditions. The distribution of the metazoan assemblages generally corresponded to the divisions of these zones and represented a series of species assemblages with coincident boundaries that changed successively along the estuarine gradient. For all three size classes of metazoan benthos, we detected three main species assemblages: brackish-water, transitional and marine. Each taxon showed, however, its own particular spatial pattern and, therefore, has a set of environmental variables that is responsible for its fine-scale distribution. The distribution of unicellular organisms showed a worse match with the division of the estuary into environmental zones. Foraminifers established a single association in most of the estuary but were absent in the upper desalinated part. Diatom algae were patchily distributed, with a number of local communities and many rare species.We conclude that the estuarine habitat appears to drive the distribution of the various benthic taxa in taxa-specific ways. The distribution of size classes (i.e., mega-, macro-, or meiofauna) that combine several high-level taxa demonstrates a better match with the multivariate environmental zonation than the distribution of the separate taxa. The role of different benthic taxa and size classes in biomonitoring studies is discussed.